The DMT R1's full-carbon fibre sole and soft upper make for an excellent mix of stiffness and comfort, ideal for the racer or those who just like to really smash the power through the pedals on long rides. They can get a little warm in the summer, though.
For shoes with a £220 price tag, the R1s include all the features you'd expect them to: full-carbon sole, top notch build quality, Boa fastening system, and classy looks. Yeah, this all-black version may look a little stealth-like, but if you want to go really snazzy they are available in two-tone yellow/black, orange/black and white/black.
The manmade upper is very soft, probably one of the most supple I have ever worn, which makes for a comfortable fit all-round. The shoes are actually quite wide compared with a lot of others on the market and I did have to tighten them up quite a bit, but the upper just moulds around your feet without any pressure points.
With regards to sizing, I found these 45s spot-on in length, and the width was never an issue – my feet didn't move around inside them – though it might be something to bear in mind if you have very narrow feet.
Retention comes in the form of two Boa systems, which are really easy to tweak on-the-fly and you can get the wire tension just right across the top part of your foot. The tongue is quite thin but has a bit of extra padding under the Boa dials, plus one side of it has Velcro to keep it in position when you take the shoes on or off. Thanks to its thinness it doesn't bunch up no matter how tight you do up the Boas.
The heel is reinforced for support, and to stop any lift of your foot as you pedal the R1 comes with a rubber dimpled section that grips your sock just above the heel.
The sole is full uni-directional carbon fibre and there's no noticeable flex at all, even when under full power. The design is slightly tub-like, where the edge of the sole comes up around the base of the foot a little to add a bit of stiffness and support in all directions. The shape certainly suited me, with a supportive arch that wasn't too high.
The sole is drilled for three-bolt cleat fixings to suit Look, SPD-SL and so on, and there is a sandpaper-like texture to prevent the cleats slipping. Once you've got everything in position you can use the numbered lines for subsequent cleat changes.
Ventilation is probably the only downside, as there is barely any. The upper has a few pin-prick holes but that's it. Admittedly a mesh panel would spoil the looks, but on hot summer days your feet do get a bit sweaty.
At the front of the sole is a mesh-covered vent funnelling air up under the feet, through 17 x 5mm holes in the sole above where the cleat attaches, and 17 corresponding holes in the removable insole, but it isn't really that effective because there is nowhere for the air to go once it's inside the shoe.
If hot feet is a real worry, DMT does make a summer version of the R1 – the R1S – so those might be the ones to go for, at a tenner more.
In terms of weight the DMT R1s are pretty average at 630g for this pair of 45s. They can't compete with the recently tested Shimano RC-7 at 604g (size 48) or Giro Factor Techlace at 576g (46), although they don't feel heavy when you're riding.
Value-wise I'd definitely pay the full price for these R1s – they are a brilliant all-round package and are really well put together. They certainly feel and look durable enough to warrant the outlay, and in terms of comfort and performance they are up there with my absolute favourites, the Giro Factors.
Add a few more air holes in the uppers and the R1s would be pretty damn near the perfect shoe.
DMT says: "The R1 is the height of performance, comfort and style in the DMT road shoe range.
"The full carbon sole provides incredible stiffness, whilst the 2 x Boa® closure and anatomic foam padded upper provides ultimate comfort."
With very impressive levels of stiffness, these R1s are aimed squarely at the performance rider.
New Anatomic Quarry Areated Carbon Sole.
They are quite roomy widthways.
The upper comes clean with just a wipe over with a cloth.
Being very stiff and comfortable makes the R1s perfect for long, fast rides.
Needs more ventilation for summer use.
The R1s are very good at what they do and are reasonably priced against their competitors. The only downside for me is the lack of ventilation on the uppers, and if you've got narrow feet they might be a bit on the sloppy side.